2018 Issue 4 Jul/Aug - Focus Mid-South Magazine

lgbt senior
LIVING A LONG,
FULLER LIFE
by Kevin Shaw | photos by Joan Allison
Barry Fuller is the “Betty White” of
Memphis theatre and that’s saying a lot!
Nearing the age of 90, this out and proud
member of the LGBT community was born
in Wagga Wagga, Australia, lived in Sydney
before ultimately settling here in Memphis
almost 60 years ago. He has been a beloved
performer bringing joy to local audiences
ever since and has no plans of retiring any
time soon. Focus Magazine was honored to
chat with this acting legend.
Were you a child actor?
No, I was a spoiled brat. I
acted out things for relatives
and they loved me—it was
show-off time! I would put on
the Victrola—you know, you
would wind it up and put on a
record and then it would play
and my auntie thought I was
the most wonderful thing in
the world!
Did you know you were gay at
a very young age?
Not until I was about 10 or 11
years old.
Was that realization “good
news” for you or “bad news?”
It was “confusing news”
because at that time, it was
against the law and you could
end up in jail, so you didn’t
talk about it. We hid away
Playbills with Fuller’s directorial credit
are on display in the glass cases in the
lobby of Circuit Playhouse in Memphis.
in the shadows back then. I
talk to my friends who are
currently in their 80’s and
they did the same thing. We
were embarrassed about it.
We never really talked about
it back then and we were fine
with that. Today, it never really
comes up that I’m gay, but I
work in the theatre and it’s
just assumed I am and I don’t
mind that at all. I’ve never felt
a strong urge to scream, “I’m
gay, I’m gay, I’m gay!” You take
me as I am.
So, when did you start
performing?
I started in Australia. I was
a tap dancer. At that time, the
movie houses would have four
showings of a movie a day and
in between they would have
acts—tap dancers, singers,
musical numbers,
whatever. I got
my training as a
tap dancer at the
Prince Edward
Theatre in Sydney.
I then came to
Memphis in 1958
to perform in the
summer series
at Front Street
Theatre before
moving here for
good in 1960.
Did you move to Memphis for
a job or to be a performer?
Neither. I just loved
Memphis! I had developed
good friends here—several
that I still have to this day. We
octogenarians look after each
other!
There is no possible way
of counting the number of
shows you’ve been a part
of here in Memphis as a
performer and a director.
Oh God, no. I have no idea!
I’ve had a very varied career
here in Memphis. Memphis
has been very good to me
and I love this city very
much! I’ve performed with
all the major theatre groups
here—Playhouse on the
Square (in fact, I started with
Playhouse in its very first
season), Theatre Memphis,
Germantown Community
Theatre, Ballet Memphis, etc.
You’re also an accomplished
director on the professional
and collegiate level. You can’t
forget the gay hit, Pageant at
Circuit Playhouse!
Oh yeah, I’ve directed too!
At Rhodes College, I directed
Nicholas Nickleby, the first
production of Sweeney
Todd, the first production
of Company and the only
production I know of of Merrily
We Roll Along.
Could you ever have
predicted when you were
younger that you would still
be performing at age 89?
No! I’m older than I ever
intended to be! I never
imagined in my life that I
would reach 90 and I’m
headed there and still
performing!
Do you have any shows
coming up?
I don’t have anything at this
time, but I plan on auditioning.
It’s not easy finding roles for
90-year-old men (laughing),
but I’m still looking!
Page 14 / focusmidsouth.com / JUL+AUG 2018 / Splash